The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) Connector Monthly Newsletter is a monthly e-newsletter featuring updates from OBSSR Director William T. Riley, Ph.D., information about behavioral and social sciences in the news, events and announcements, findings from recently published research, funding announcements, and other updates. The current newsletter is provided below.
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NIH Releases Report Summarizing Research on Vaccine Communication
The FDA recently approved two new vaccines for coronavirus, and preparations have been made to deploy these vaccines as rapidly as possible once approved. It is a triumph of science that less than a year from identifying the SARS-CoV-2 virus, vaccines have been rigorously developed, evaluated, and deployed to protect against the virus.
As these vaccines become available, however, the latest polling data show that only about half of Americans want to get vaccinated, a quarter are unsure, and a quarter indicate they will not get vaccinated. Among Blacks, 40% indicate that they will not get vaccinated, potentially exacerbating already serious COVID-19 disparities. This same AP/NORC poll showed that about a third of respondents are not confident that the vaccines have been properly tested for safety and efficacy, will be distributed equitably, or will be distributed rapidly and safely. Read Full NIH OBSSR Director's Blog.
Full Report: COVID-19 Vaccination* Communication: Applying Behavioral and Social Science to Address Vaccine Hesitancy and Foster Vaccine Confidence
Tip Sheet One-Pager: A Communicator’s Tip Sheet for COVID-19 Vaccination
Call for Papers – Pain and Opioids: A Public Health Crisis
To better understand the current pain and opioid public heath crises, the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH), in collaboration with OBSSR, invites articles that focus on the multifactorial social and behavioral components that contribute to these two related crises. Responses to the interrelated crises of opioids and chronic pain in the United States require a comprehensive approach that brings together expertise and input from multiple disciplines and experiences that include for example: primary care providers; people who are in pain as well as those with substance use, misuse, addiction disorders; significant others; emergency departments; dentistry; law and the justice system; public health workers; and researchers in both substance abuse and pain.
Articles of interest will summarize previous research on a specific topic area related to these crises, identify research gaps, and provide empirical evidence and perspectives, all within the scope of public health.
Submissions are due on February 24, 2021, and can be submitted at https://www.editorialmanager.com/ajph. Article guidelines and submission instructions are available at https://www.ajph.org.
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Call for Nominations: 2021 NIH Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Sciences Honors Distinguished Lecture (due by January 29)
OBSSR invites you to nominate outstanding social-behavioral scientists for the NIH Matilda White Riley Selection Committee to consider for giving the keynote address at the 14th NIH Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Science Honors, to be held virtually on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
Learn more about the Honors event and previous awardees.
The person(s) you nominate should have a research career that has advanced behavioral and social scientific knowledge in areas within NIH’s mission and Dr. White Riley’s vision including,
- An expanded conceptualization of health and wellbeing that includes effective cognitive, affective and social functioning; and quality of life
- Behavioral and social sciences research results that improve the lives of people and society
- Illuminate the complex and dynamic interplay among processes at multiple levels (e.g. interactions between genes and the built, natural, and social environment)
- Influence of social and behavioral factors on physical health and the utility of this knowledge for clinical practice and health policy
- Life course perspective on development, health, and wellbeing of individuals and societies
- Research approaches that build theory and methods in the advancement of knowledge on health and wellbeing
OBSSR has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusiveness– including women, minorities, and persons with disabilities– in speaker selection and agenda development of its scientific meetings and events. Nominees need not have NIH funding. Please save your nominee information as a PDF file and send it to Erica Spotts via email, [email protected], by COB January 29, 2021. Nominee information should include:
- Page 1: Nominee’s full contact information, including link to their webpage(s)
- Page 2: A one-page statement demonstrating how the nominee’s research results and practice correspond with Dr. White Riley’s vision
- Page 3: Nominee’s CV and/or NIH bio sketch
If you have any questions, please contact Erica Spotts, [email protected], Chair, NIH Matilda White Riley Lecture Selection Committee.
NIH Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Sciences Honors: Early Stage Investigator Paper Competition
The 14th NIH Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Honors will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. Matilda White Riley, Ph.D. (1911-2004) was a celebrated scientist and member of the National Academy of Sciences whose transformative work and leadership in the behavioral and social sciences at the NIH is honored annually by OBSSR. Each year, NIH honors the research trajectory and continuing influence of Dr. Matilda White Riley in the behavioral and social sciences across and beyond the NIH. Initiated as an annual distinguished scholar lecture, OBSSR expanded the event in 2016 to recognize emerging scientists with a competition for peer-reviewed articles by Early Stage Investigators (ESIs).
The submission period is now open for the ESI (within 10 years of their terminal degree) paper competition. Up to four ESI honorees will be selected to present the findings from their accepted paper and participate in a moderated discussion of future research possibilities at the virtual meeting. This competition recognizes emerging scientists whose research reflects Dr. Matilda White Riley’s vision of research excellence in health-related behavioral and social sciences.
The ESI portal will accept submissions between January 16 and 31. The submission deadline is Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Read More and Submit a Paper
Training in Advanced Data Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences (TADA-BSSR) Webinar on January 21, 2021
Event: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Selection Bias
Lecturer: Carl T. Bergstrom, Ph.D., University of Washington
January 21, 2021, 1:00–2:00 p.m. EST / 10:00–11:00 a.m. PST via Zoom
Overview: Selection bias occurs when the method by which a statistical sample is obtained prevents the sample from accurately representing the population about which one wishes to draw inferences. As straightforward as the issue may seem, selection bias is among the most pernicious perils of statistical inference. In this lecture, Dr. Carl T. Bergstrom will discuss some of the many ways that selection bias and related phenomena, from right censoring to the “Will Rogers effect,” can arise in medical research and beyond. He will draw from a range of examples, including recent studies on COVID-19. The session will feature interactive audience questions and answers, using the chat function of the live Zoom session.
Carl Bergstrom is a professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington. Dr. Bergstrom’s research uses mathematical, computational, and statistical models to understand how information flows through biological and social systems.
The TADA-BSSR program supports Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) predoctoral training programs that focus on innovative computational and/or data science analytic approaches and their incorporation into training for the future BSSR health research workforce. The vision of the TADA-BSSR program is to support the development of a cohort of specialized predoctoral candidates who will possess advanced competencies in data science analytics to apply to an increasingly complex landscape of behavioral and social health-related big data.
Free registration is required.
Register Today
Child Intervention, Prevention, and Services (CHIPS) Research Training Institute
The 2021 CHIPS Research Training Institute will be held May 10-14, 2021. The meeting will be hosted by the University of Pittsburgh.
CHIPS (Child Intervention, Prevention, and Services) is an interdisciplinary training consortium, created to enhance career development for early career scientists pursuing research careers in the areas of intervention, prevention, and the provision of services for children and adolescents. CHIPS is funded through the NIMH Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR), which supports two critical areas of research, intervention research to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive and treatment interventions and mental health services research.
If you are a child psychiatry resident, postdoctoral fellow, or junior faculty member with a strong interest in mental health research for children and adolescents, you are invited to apply to the CHIPS program. Applicants must have either an M.D. or a Ph.D. in one of the following fields: Psychology, Sociology, Social work, Nursing, or Public Health.
Download and complete the CHIPS Electronic Application and follow the instructions on the website for submission. If you have any questions please contact Amanda Trujillo at [email protected], 412-383-5478.
Applications due: Sunday, February 14, 2021
Read More and Apply
Apply for the 2021 Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials: February 15 Deadline
OBSSR, in collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), will hold the 21st annual Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials, from July 23 to August 1, 2021, at the Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland or virtually.
The Summer Institute provides an intermediate/advanced course in planning, designing, and conducting high-impact randomized controlled trials of health-related behavioral interventions. It emphasizes programmatic research and prepares fellows to lead or collaborate on rigorous, high-impact behavioral trials and on systematic efforts to develop and improve health-related behavioral interventions.
The Institute’s long-term goal is to build an outstanding scientific workforce that is able to plan and conduct the kinds of clinical trials that can change practice guidelines, health care policies, and third-party coverage for health-related behavioral interventions, and that can help to increase the role of evidence-based behavioral interventions in clinical and preventive services.
Applications are due by February 15, 2021.
Read More and Apply
NIH Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) Capstone Conference
Join the NIH’s Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) Capstone Conference, Ten Years of the Science of Behavior Change Common Fund Program: Celebrating Accomplishments and Looking to the Future, on the afternoons (Eastern) of February 22-23, 2021.
The goal of the NIH Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) Common Fund Program is to advance behavior change research through a focus on mechanisms of change and the integration of basic research with applied/interventional research. The capstone conference will highlight innovative examples of behavior change research consistent with SOBC principles, from use-inspired basic research to mechanisms-focused intervention science. Renowned national and international experts will share their research findings and visions for the future of the science of behavior change. The capstone conference will be virtual, open to the public, recorded, archived, and proceedings summarized in a publicly accessible report.
Registration is now open. Visit the meeting website for more information including a link to register.
Register Now
New Challenge Competition Will Award $1 Million in Prizes to Address Declining Vaccination Coverage and Well-Child Visits
HRSA and MCHB officially launched the Promoting Pediatric Primary Prevention (P4) Challenge competition o respond to declining rates of childhood vaccination coverage and well-child visits due to COVID-19.
CDC data show that these declines might leave young children and communities vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles. Well-child visits are an important venue for the administration of vaccines, and also provide parents with an opportunity to raise concerns about a child’s behavior and mental health. Providers can also screen for developmental delays and offer personalized guidance on healthy nutrition, exercise and safety.
The P4 Challenge will award $1 million in prizes for innovative approaches to increase access to and utilization of well-child visits and/or immunizations services within primary care settings. Partnerships with state and local organizations are encouraged, and submissions must include a primary care provider who delivers health services to children. MCHB expects to select up to 50 Phase 1 winners and up to 20 Phase 2 winners.
Submissions will open on January 19, 2021.
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NINR Is Seeking Program Officer / Health Scientist Administrator
The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) is seeking exceptional candidates for the position of Program Officer / Health Scientist Administrator.
The role of the Program Officer / Health Scientist Administrator is to initiate, develop, manage, and provide insights for the extramural research portfolio of the NINR. Nursing research is heading in exciting new directions and needs dynamic individuals to lead these changes.
The NINR is specifically interested in the following expertise:
- Social determinants of health
- Health inequities
- Community and population health
- Observational and intervention research with practice and policy applications
- Embodiment of social inequalities
- Multilevel approaches bridging biology to society
Applicants should have a doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in the health sciences or related field and research experience in one of these scientific areas. Familiarity with NIH extramural funding as an applicant, reviewer, or NIH scientific administrator is desirable, and outstanding written and oral communication skills are essential. Nurse scientists are encouraged to apply. NINR supports a diverse workforce.
An upcoming global “Health Scientist Administrator” job announcement will be posted on www.usajobs.gov from January 18, 2021 through January 27, 2021. Applications must be submitted through www.usajobs.gov by January 27, 2021 to be considered.
If you have questions about the positions, please contact NINR Acting Deputy Director Dr. Susan E. Old at [email protected].
Presentation Recordings: NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival
NIH OBSSR held its fifth NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival on December 1-2, 2020. The festival highlighted exciting research results, emerging areas, and innovations in health related behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR). This NIH-wide event enables efficient leveraging of NIH resources and expertise. The NIH BSSR Coordinating Committee members contribute diverse and comprehensive perspectives on the NIH BSSR portfolio, thus facilitating the selection of an outstanding array of research results that are highlighted at the festival. The 2020 festival, which also celebrated OBSSR’s 25th anniversary, showed the breadth, innovation, and potential impact of the behavioral and social sciences research that the NIH supports.
View the festival agenda, speaker biographies and recordings of the presentations (Day 1 and Day 2).
Go There Now
